Single Sevikar : Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and is highly prevalent. Recent guidelines and advisory statements have recommended lower thresholds and goals for patients with hypertension. However, approximately two-thirds of hypertensive patients do not achieve the goals. Poor adherence to anti-hypertensive medication regimens is a common cause of the practice-outcome gap. Monotherapy is also associated with difficulty to control blood pressure (BP) as most of hypertensive patients require 2 or more antihypertensive agents to effectively reduce BP. Therefore, current guidelines have recommended the use of combination therapy early in the management of hypertension or as first-line treatment. Fixed-dose combinations offer many advantages, such as convenience of use and fewer adverse events. Blockage of two or more BP regulatory systems also provides a more effective and physiologic BP reduction. Similar to other combinations, fixed-dose combination tablets containing dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers bring together two distinct and complementary mechanisms of action.